Language/Northern-kurdish/Grammar/Gender
Hi Northern Kurdish learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will talk about gender in Northern Kurdish. Understanding gender is essential for effective communication in a language. It will help you use the correct pronouns, adjectives, and articles when speaking or writing. If you want to improve your grammar, you can also go to the Grammar section of the Northern Kurdish page on Polyglot Club. Also, don't forget to find native speakers and ask them any questions to practice what you learn!
What is Gender in Northern Kurdish?[edit | edit source]
In Northern Kurdish, nouns are generally gender-neutral, which means that they do not have a masculine or feminine form. Northern Kurdish speakers use pronouns to indicate gender.
In Northern Kurdish, there are two genders: masculine and feminine. The gender of a person or an animal is indicated by the pronoun used to refer to them. Northern Kurdish speakers also use gendered words to describe people or things, such as titles and occupations.
Gendered Pronouns[edit | edit source]
In Northern Kurdish, the third-person singular pronouns are different depending on the gender of the person or animal being referred to.
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ew | /ɛw/ | he (referring to a male) |
| ewiya | /ɛwɪjɑ/ | she (referring to a female) |
Example:
- Person 1: Ew êzdîna min e. (He is my brother.)
- Person 2: Ewiya dostê min e. (She is my friend.)
Northern Kurdish also has gendered second-person singular pronouns:
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| tu | /tu/ | you (referring to a male) |
| tuya | /tu.jɑ/ | you (referring to a female) |
Example:
- Person 1: Tu jî kar dikî? (Do you work too?)
- Person 2: Tuya mezinê min e! (You are my older sister!)
Northern Kurdish does not have gendered third-person plurals. The pronoun "ewe" is used to refer to groups of people, animals, or things regardless of gender.
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ewe | /ɛwɛ/ | they |
Example:
- Person 1: Ewe hatin. (They have arrived.)
Gendered Titles and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Northern Kurdish has gendered words for titles and occupations. Masculine titles and occupations typically end in "-î" and feminine titles and occupations typically end in "-ge".
Here are some examples:
| Northern Kurdish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| mêvanî | /mevɑni/ | guest (masculine) |
| mêvgêr | /mɛvgɛr/ | guest (feminine) |
| sipî | /sipi/ | shepherd (masculine) |
| sipînge | /sipiŋe/ | shepherdess (feminine) |
Example:
- Person 1: Mêvanî çû? (Did the guest leave?)
- Person 2: Na, mêvgêra me hat. (No, our guest (feminine) came.)
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Gender is an important aspect of Northern Kurdish grammar. Understanding gender will help you use the correct pronouns and descriptive terms when speaking or writing. Remember to practice and ask native speakers for help to improve your language skills.
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Sources[edit | edit source]
Now that you've completed this lesson, don't stop learning! Check out these related topics: Conditional Mood & Manner Adverbs.